Direct trains to Liverpool to be cut

Last updated 16:45, Tuesday, 12 August 2008

DIRECT trains between Barrow and Liverpool are being cut during the Merseyside capital’s year as European City of Culture.

Liverpool may be riding the crest of a wave of interest because of its title, but it is not enough to stop Northern Trains axing the through services between Furness and Merseyside from this December.

The Furness Line Action Group, which monitors train services in the area, says the axing of the Monday to Friday 07.17 Barrow to Liverpool through train and the Monday to Saturday 15.37 Liverpool to Barrow, will mean longer journeys for people travelling between the two centres.

Someone travelling on the afternoon train will have to change at Preston and Lancaster instead of going straight through and it will take them two hours and 45 minutes instead of two hours and 26 minutes, it says.

FLAG, which has beengiven an early glimpse of the December timetables by the train company, said the changes were being made for operational efficiency.

Its August newsletter said: “Although passengers prefer not to change trains it is more efficient for the railway to run regular shorter-distance shuttles with clock-face interchange times.”

FLAG says its observations of the existing services were that the Liverpool to Barrow trains are well used.

The newsletter went on: “We have pointed out to Northern Rail that this rescheduling will affect quite a few people.”

No-one was available for comment at Northern Rail.